Gaming machine, system and method with a bonus feature

ABSTRACT

A gaming machine that provides a game in which a plurality of symbols from a symbol set are displayed on a display to represent at least one game outcome. A winning combination is a bonus feature, which results in a game controller of the gaming machine controlling game play of the game to provide at least a chance to win a bonus prize from a set of one or more bonus prizes. The game controller further controls the gaming machine to award at least one special prize that is different from the one or more bonus prizes. Award of the special prize is dependent on a random selection process, the performance of which is dependent on occurrence of the bonus feature.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Australian Patent Application No.AU2006904913, having an international filing date of Sep. 6, 2006,entitled “Gaming Machine, System, and Method with a Bonus Feature”,which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to gaming apparatus and methodsof gaming. A particular embodiment of the present invention relates togaming apparatus and methods of gaming that offer a bonus feature.Another particular embodiment of the present invention relates to agaming apparatus and method of gaming that offer a progressive prize.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

With the increase of gambling at gaming venues has come increasedcompetition between gaming venues to obtain a larger share of the totalgambling spend. Gaming venue operators have therefore continuouslylooked for new variations and types of games in order to attract bothnew and return customers to their venues.

In response to this need, suppliers of gaming devices and systems haveattempted to provide the sought after variety, while still developinggames that comply with the relevant regulations in the jurisdiction ofthe gaming venue operator. Suppliers of gaming devices therefore arefaced with restrictions on the types of games and gaming apparatus thatare allowable, both in terms of the prevailing regulations and in termsof providing a return on investment to the gaming venue operators.

In addition, it is important that a player be able to understand theoperation of a game quickly so that the player can start to quickly playthe game and therefore extract maximum entertainment from the game.

Progressive jackpots may be offered on gaming machines. A progressivecontroller may be programmed to accumulate a percentage of the turnoverbet on the machine, that percentage being accumulated in a progressivepool. On the occurrence of a predetermined event, the amount of money inthe pool may be awarded to a player.

Recently progressive jackpot gaming systems have been implemented whichoperate across a group of linked gaming machines, accumulating apercentage of turnover bet on all of the linked machines into one ormore progressive pools. Again the contents of a particular progressivepool may be awarded to a player when certain trigger conditions are met.

While the modified player progressive systems have increased playerinterest, the lack of actual or perceived player involvement in theincrement of either standalone or linked progressive systems can meanthat players may easily tire of playing these systems.

One way of increasing player interest in gaming is to increase thevariability of the bonus awards. Typically, this is done by providing abase game having a bonus feature which is triggered on a reasonablyregular basis. The bonus feature, when triggered, typically provides afeature game which itself has a range of bonus prizes, ranging from asmall bonus prize which occurs most frequently, to a major or largejackpot prize, which occurs relatively rarely. Clearly, in order to keepthe return to player percentage within preset parameters, it isnecessary that the major or large jackpot prize only occurs oninfrequent occasions.

The problem with this system is that players who do trigger the bonusfeature usually win only the minor bonus prize, so that the triggeringof the bonus feature is coupled with the somewhat negative expectationthat the feature game will only result in a modest reward. It isdesirable to provide a gaming system which will increase the sense ofanticipation for players on achieving a bonus feature. It may also bedesirable to provide such a gaming system that increases the sense ofanticipation for players on achieving a bonus but without altering thereturn to player percentage of the machine or system on which the bonusfeature or bonus feature and feature game is being played.

Any reference in this specification to the prior art does not constitutean admission that such prior art was well known or forms part of thecommon general knowledge in any jurisdiction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provideda gaming machine having a display and a user interface in communicationwith a game controller, which cooperate to provide a game in which aplurality of symbols from a symbol set are displayed on the display torepresent at least one game outcome that is evaluated for a winningcombination and in which an award is awarded if a winning combinationresults, wherein a said winning combination is a bonus feature, theoccurrence of which results in the game controller controlling game playof the game to provide at least a chance to win a bonus prize from a setof one or more bonus prizes, the game controller further controlling thegaming machine to award at least one special prize that is differentfrom the one or more bonus prizes, wherein award of the special prize isdependent on a random selection process, the performance of which isdependent on occurrence of the bonus feature.

In one embodiment, the gaming machine does not display on the displaysymbols to represent the random selection process.

In one embodiment, the gaming machine includes a pay schedule thatadvertises each of the one or more bonus prizes but does not advertisethe at least one special prize.

In one embodiment, the special prize is only awardable when a said bonusprize is won.

In one embodiment, there are at least two said bonus prizes that arewinnable following occurrence of said bonus feature. In this embodiment,the plurality of different bonus prizes may include a plurality ofprogressive prizes that are formed so as have different values from eachother. Instead, the plurality of different bonus prizes may include aplurality of fixed value prizes of different values. Also, the gamecontroller may select each of the plurality of different bonus prizeswith different average expected frequencies. The bonus feature mayalways result in the award of a positive value bonus prize. The specialprize may be awardable when at least one, but not all of the bonusprizes are won and also the special prize may be awardable when a firstsaid bonus prize is won and not awardable when a second said bonus prizeis won, the second said bonus prize having a higher value than the firstsaid bonus prize. The special prize may be awardable only when the bonusprize of lowest value is won.

In one embodiment, the special prize is awarded in addition to the bonusprize and the gaming machine displays the combined special prize andbonus prize as a single prize and does not display separate indicationsof each prize.

In one embodiment, when the special prize is awarded, it is awardedinstead of the bonus prize. In this embodiment, the special prize mayhave a value higher than the value of that bonus prize.

In one embodiment, the random selection process for the special prizeincludes selecting the value of the special prize, so that the specialprize is a randomly variable prize.

In one embodiment, the award of the special prize is dependant on theplayer placing an additional bet.

In one embodiment, there are a plurality of distinct bonus featuresrepresenting different winning outcomes and wherein each bonus featureresulting in at least a chance to win a bonus prize from a different setof one or more bonus prizes. In this embodiment the plurality of bonusfeatures each result in a chance to win one of a plurality of differentbonus prizes.

In one embodiment, on occurrence of a bonus feature, the game controllercommences play of a feature game in which representations of the featuregame are displayed on the display that indicate to the player the bonusprize that is to be awarded.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provideda gaming system including a plurality of gaming machines as described inthe preceding paragraphs, wherein each of the plurality of gamingmachines are eligible to win the same said one or more bonus prizes whena said bonus feature occurs on that gaming machine.

In one embodiment, at least one of the one or more bonus prizes is aprogressive prize to which each of the plurality of gaming machinecontribute.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provideda method of providing awards on a gaming machine that provides awagering game in which a plurality of symbols from a symbol set aredisplayed on a display to represent play of the wagering game, themethod including providing as one possible outcome of the game a bonusfeature; when the bonus feature occurs, providing at least a chance towin a bonus prize from a set of one or more bonus prizes; and when thebonus feature occurs, performing a random selection process and awardinga special prize that is different from the one or more bonus prizesdependent on the random selection process.

In one embodiment, the random selection process determines whether ornot the special prize is awarded.

In one embodiment, the set of one or more bonus prizes includes aplurality of different bonus prizes and the process of providing achance to win a bonus prize includes selecting which one of a pluralityof bonus prizes is to be won, the selection being controlled so that abonus prize is always won when the bonus feature occurs, the methodfurther including advertising in a pay schedule for the game theplurality of bonus prizes but not the special prize and performing therandom selection process without displaying to a player symbolsrepresenting the result of the random selection process and wherein therandom selection process includes a selection of the value of thespecial prize so that the special prize awarded is a randomly variableprize.

In one embodiment, the method further includes awarding a single prizeas a combination of a said bonus prize and the special prize anddisplaying representations of the award of the special prize as if thecombination of a said bonus prize and the special prize was a singleprize resulting from occurrence of the bonus feature.

In one embodiment, the method further includes awarding the specialprize instead of a said bonus prize and displaying representations ofthe award of the special prize as if the special prize was a singleprize resulting from occurrence of the bonus feature.

In one embodiment, the method further includes displaying a feature gamebetween occurrence of the bonus feature and the award of the specialprize, the feature game including representations that indicate a saidbonus prize that is to be awarded if a special prize is not awarded.

Further aspects of the present invention and further embodiments of theaspects described in the preceding paragraphs will become apparent fromthe following description, given by way of example and with reference tothe accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described, by way of example only,with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1: shows diagrammatically, a view of a gaming machine suitable forimplementing certain embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2: shows a block diagram of gaming apparatus suitable forimplementing certain embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 3: shows a block diagram of components of the memory of the gamingapparatus represented in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4: shows diagrammatically, a network gaming system suitable forimplementing certain embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 5: shows a flowchart of a game process in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings, one example of a gaming machinesuitable for implementing certain embodiments of the present inventionis generally referenced by arrow 10.

The gaming machine 10 includes a console 12 having a display 14 on whichis displayed representations of a game 16 (bounding box only shown inFIG. 1), that can be played by a player. A mid-trim 20 of the gamingmachine 10 houses a bank of buttons 22 for enabling a player to play thegame 16. The mid-trim 20 also houses a credit input mechanism 24including a coin input chute 24A and a bill collector 24B. A top box 26may carry artwork 28, including for example, pay tables and details ofbonus awards and other information or images relating to the game.Further artwork and/or information may be provided on the front panel 29of the console 12. A coin tray 30 is mounted beneath the console 12 forcash payouts from the gaming machine 10.

The display 14 shown in FIG. 1 is in the form of a video display unit,particularly a cathode ray tube screen device. Alternatively, thedisplay 14 may be a liquid crystal display, plasma screen, any othersuitable video display unit, or the visible portion of anelectromechanical device. The top box 26 in a more preferred form ofgaming machine 10 to implement certain embodiments of the presentinvention includes a display, for example a video display unit, whichmay be of the same type as the display 14, or a different type ofdisplay.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a gaming apparatus, generally referencedby arrow 100, suitable for implementing certain embodiments of thepresent invention. The gaming apparatus 100 may, for example, operate asa standalone gaming machine of the type shown in FIG. 1. However, thegaming apparatus 100 may alternatively operate as a networked gamingmachine, communicating with other network devices, such as one or moreservers or other gaming machines. The gaming apparatus 100 may also havedistributed hardware and software components that communicate with eachother directly or through a network. Accordingly, different referencenumerals have been used in FIG. 2 from FIG. 1 for components that may beequivalent.

The gaming apparatus 100 includes a game controller 101, which in theillustrated example includes a computational device 102, which may be amicroprocessor, microcontroller, programmable logic device or othersuitable device. Instructions and data to control operation of thecomputational device 102 are stored in a memory 103, which is in datacommunication with, or forms a part of the computational device 102.Typically, the gaming apparatus 100 will include both volatile andnon-volatile memory and more than one of each type of memory, with suchmemories being collectively represented by the memory 103. Theinstructions to cause the game controller 101 to implement the presentinvention will be stored in the memory 103.

The gaming apparatus may include hardware meters 104 for the purposes ofregulatory compliance and also include an input/output (I/O) interface105 for communicating with the peripheral devices of the gamingapparatus 100. The input/output interface 105 and/or the peripheraldevices may be intelligent devices with their own memory forinstructions and data.

In the example shown in FIG. 2, the peripheral devices that communicatewith the controller are one or more displays 106, user input devices107, a card and/or ticket reader 108, a printer 109, a bill acceptorand/or coin input mechanism 110 and a coin output mechanism 111.

One or more of the displays 106 may include a touch screen 106A, formingpart of the user input devices 107. Additional devices may be includedas part of the gaming machine 100, or devices omitted as required forthe specific implementation.

In addition, the gaming machine 100 may include a communicationsinterface, for example a network card 112. The network card, may forexample, send status information, accounting information or otherinformation to a central controller, server or database and receive dataor commands from a the central controller, server or database. One ormore of the peripheral devices, for example the card/ticket reader 108may be able to communicate directly with the network card 112.

The game controller 101 may also include a random number generator 113,which generates a series of random numbers that determine the outcome ofa series of random game events played as part of a game on the gamingapparatus 100. As explained in more detail in relation to FIG. 4, thecomputational device 102 may include two or more controllers orprocessors, which may be local or remote from each other and thedisplays 106.

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary block diagram of the main components of thememory 103.

The RAM 103A typically temporarily holds program files for execution bythe computational controller 102 and related data. The EPROM 103B mayhold be a boot ROM device and/or may contain some system or game relatedcode. The mass storage device 103C is typically used to store gameprograms, the integrity of which may be verified and/or authenticated bythe computational controller 102 using protected code from the EPROM103B or elsewhere.

FIG. 4 shows a gaming system 200. The gaming system 200 includes anetwork 201, which for example may be an Ethernet network. Gamingdevices 202, shown arranged in three banks 203 of two gaming devices 202in FIG. 4, are connected to the network 201. The gaming devices 202 maybe gaming machines 10, as shown in FIG. 1 or form part or all of anothergaming apparatus 100. Single gaming devices 202 and banks 203 containingthree or more gaming devices 202 may also be connected to the network201.

One or more system displays 204 may also be connected to the network201. The system displays 204 may, for example, be associated with a bank203 of gaming devices. The system displays 204 may be used to displayrepresentations associated with game play on the gaming devices 202,and/or used to display other representations, for example promotional orinformational material. The bonus prizes referred to later herein, whichmay be in the form of fixed or progressive prizes may be displayed on asystem display 204.

Servers may also be connected to the network 201. For example, a gameserver 205 may generate game outcomes for games played on the gamingdevices 202, a database management server 206 may manage the storage ofgame programs and associated data for downloading or access by thegaming devices 202 in a database 206A, and a jackpot server 207 maycontrol one or more jackpots associated with the gaming devices 202.

Further servers may be provided to assist in the administration of thegaming system 200, including for example a gaming floor managementserver 208, and a licensing server 209 to monitor the use of licenses toparticular games. An administrator terminal 210 is provided to allow anadministrator to run the network 201 and the devices connected to thenetwork.

The gaming system 200 may communicate with other gaming systems, otherlocal networks, for example a corporate network and/or a wide areanetwork such as the Internet through a firewall 211.

FIG. 5 shows a process flow diagram 500 of a process performed inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The process maybe performed by the network gaming system 200, in which the gamingdevices 202 may each include part or all of a gaming apparatus 100 andthe following description assumes this implementation. However, thoseskilled in the relevant arts will appreciate that the process will alsobe able to be implemented by other gaming systems.

Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a form of randomlyawarded special prize to a player in addition to prizes that the playerwould expect to receive during normal play. As described in more detailin the following paragraphs, the special prize may be awarded togetherwith a bonus prize that is the result of occurrence of a bonus featureoccurring during normal play or is the result of play of a feature gamethat is played following occurrence of a bonus feature. Also, a singlebonus feature may result in one of a plurality of different bonusprizes.

The special prizes may be awarded only after a feature game has beentriggered during play of the base game of a game. That is, specialprizes will not be awarded during normal play of the base game, but oncea bonus feature has occurred during normal play of the base game afeature game occurs, and eligibility for a special prize will then existin addition to the player being eligible to win one or more bonus prizesdependent on the outcome of the feature game. The one or more bonusprizes may be one or more progressive prizes, the progressive prizesstarting at and/or incrementing at different levels if there is morethan one. The one or more bonus prizes may be one or more fixed prizes,the fixed prizes having differing values. The description given withreference to FIG. 5 primarily refers in more detail to the processesinvolved in implementing a game having a base game and a feature game.

In one embodiment there is a plurality of bonus prizes associated withthe bonus feature. In this embodiment the bonus prize that is awarded isdetermined by the game controller 101 according to a random selectionprocess. The random selection process may be weighted so that smallervalue bonus prizes statistically occur more often than the higher valuebonus prizes.

Although the description herein uses the example of a spinning reelgame, the embodiments described herein will have application to othergame formats, including by way of non-limiting example card games, dicegames and keno games.

After a bet has been placed at step 501, a base game, which may forexample be a spinning reel game is played (step 502). During the basegame a bonus feature occurs according to random criteria (determined instep 504). For example, the bonus feature may be the alignment of say,three symbols alongside each other on a payline of the gaming machine,or the occurrence anywhere on the screen of say, three special or wildsymbols. Various forms of such events are known in the art and need notbe described herein in any greater detail.

An alternative arrangement is for the bonus feature to be triggeredcompletely independently of the base game, for example based on turnoverof the base game as described in Australian patent no. 754689, thecontents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. In this casethere may be only a single prize pool while alternatively where multipleprize pools are provided, the prize pool that is played for may beselected randomly.

Once the bonus feature has occurred or been triggered, the gaming device202 displays the feature game (step 506). This may be under the controlof the same computational device 102 that controlled display of the basegame. In an alternative embodiment, the game controller 101 may have aspecific component that operates the feature game, which may bephysically separate from a component that controls play of the basegame, or which may be a separate process provided using the samephysical component. This alternative embodiment may have particularapplication to a plurality of linked gaming machines.

Whichever form of bonus feature is triggered, and the manner of thattriggering, a feature game will be played, as indicated at step 508. Indue course an outcome of the feature game will occur, as indicated atstep 510. The outcome of the feature game will determine whether a bonusprize is awarded. In one embodiment there are a plurality of differentbonus prizes that can be won from the feature game, the game controllerdetermining which one, if any, of the bonus prizes is awarded accordingto random criteria, which may be weighted towards the lesser value bonusprizes. In one version of this embodiment, one of the bonus prizes isalways awarded from the feature game so that there are only winningoutcomes of the feature game.

At this point, rather than simply reverting back to the base game, thegame controller assesses whether the player is eligible for a special orrandom prize, as indicated at step 512.

If the game controller 101 determines that the player is not eligiblefor a prize, the system reverts to the base game, as indicated at steps518 and 501. However, if the game controller 101 determines that theplayer is eligible for a special prize then the value of that specialprize will be determined, as indicated at step 514, and the player willthen be paid that special prize out of a progressive prize pool or otherprize funds source. Thereafter the system will revert to base game play,as indicated by steps 518 and 501. Thus, if control of the display 106of the gaming device 202 was transferred to the jackpot server 207, itis returned from the jackpot server 207 to the game controller 101 thatcontrols play of the base game, as indicated in step 518.

In one embodiment, the bonus prize and the special prize are paid. Inthis embodiment, the gaming device 202 may display on the display asingle combined prize representing the sum of the bonus prize and thespecial prize and displaying this as the result from the feature game.In another embodiment, when the special prize is to be awarded, it isawarded instead of the bonus prize. In this embodiment, all values ofthe special prize are preferably higher than the advertised bonus prizefor the feature outcome. Also in this embodiment the special prize neednot be of the same type as the bonus prize, although it may be of thesame type (e.g. both are prizes in credits). In both of theseembodiments, the player may be presented with representations thatindicate that the bonus prize at least sometimes, or perhaps oftendepending on the particular implementation, is higher than theadvertised amount. With continued play, the player may notice that whenthe prize varies from the advertised, the extent to which it is higherthan the advertised prize also varies.

When the special prize is awarded, the gaming machine may display aspecial sequence on a display 106, play a sound and/or otherwisedistinguish the prize from the normal bonus prize associated with thefeature outcome. In one embodiment, whether or not a special sequence,sound or other distinguishing media is presented to the player when thespecial prize is awarded, no additional display of symbolsrepresentative of the random selection process in step 514 is made bythe gaming device 202.

In an alternative embodiment, the special prize may be displayedseparately to the bonus prize. This creates a different impression tothe player, who sees that they have won the advertised prize for thefeature game outcome (or bonus feature in the embodiment where a featuregame is omitted) and with continued play sees that a separate prize isawarded at random.

Clearly, the player's eligibility for a special prize, as indicated instep 512, can be assessed on various bases. For example, each time aplayer is awarded a feature game the system may generate an additionalspecial prize, of varying amounts, as randomly determined.Alternatively, only those players who win a particular bonus prize, forexample the lowest available bonus prize in the embodiment where everyplay of the feature game results in a prize, may be eligible for thespecial prize, somewhat in the manner of a consolation for the player. Afurther alternative would be for the player to be awarded a specialprize in conjunction with all feature outcomes, but the quantum of thespecial prize that can be awarded might vary between say a very lowprize or prize range, and a quite significant prize or prize range.Eligibility may also be dependant on the player placing an additionalbet during play of the game in which the bonus feature may occur.

An alternative embodiment to the process shown in FIG. 5 is for theplayer to be awarded a special prize where a bonus feature has occurredbut where no feature game is played and consequently no feature gameoutcome is achieved. The eligibility for the special prize may forexample be dependent on which bonus feature has occurred. Eligibilityfor the special prize is therefore not tied to the provision of afeature game.

In this embodiment, when the bonus feature occurs, the player may bedirectly awarded a bonus prize and is also eligible to be awarded therandomly awarded special prize. For example, a gaming machine maymaintain a plurality of progressive prizes or a plurality of linkedgaming machines may communicate with a progressive controller, which maybe the jackpot controller 207, to maintain a plurality of progressives,the game controller 101 selecting one of the bonus prizes at randomaccording to a weighted selection process.

The selection process for the bonus prizes may be similar to theselection process described herein below for the special prize. However,those skilled in the relevant arts will appreciate that alternativeprocesses exist and could be developed.

In this alternative embodiment, each progressive prize may be awarded asa bonus prize when a particular combination occurs during play of agame. A single particular combination may be used as the bonus feature,following which the player could be awarded any one of the bonus prizes.

Alternatively or in addition, different combinations may result in theaward of different progressive prizes. In another example, the gamingmachine or linked gaming machines may offer a plurality of differentfixed prizes on the occurrence of a bonus feature, there being a randomselection of which fixed prize is won when the bonus feature occurs.

By way of example, one of the progressive prizes may be awarded withthree “J” symbols occur along a pay line of a spinning reel game. Thisprogressive prize may be constrained, either statistically and/or byfixed constraints to be within a certain range. When three “J” symbolsoccur along a pay line, the gaming machine or the progressive controllerif provided may cause the award of that progressive prize. In addition,the gaming machine, the progressive controller or another device thatreceives a communication notifying of the occurrence of the three “J”symbols randomly awards a special prize.

It is envisaged that one manner of implementing the gaming system wouldbe that a proportion of the revenue from each gaming machine wouldcontribute towards a progressive prize pool which would then bedistributed back to players via the prize awarding system describedabove, on a random or quasi random basis. In an alternative embodiment,the special prize may be in the form of a payment by the gaming machineoperator that is not incorporated into the return to playercalculations.

For a linked gaming system, the jackpot server 207 may incorporate arandom number generator 113 which allocates special prizes to differentplayers, depending on the random number selected once a player achieveda feature outcome. The special prize awarding system could be revenueneutral, that is, over time, the system could be programmed to return toplayers all of the finds contributed by individual machines, but indifferent value amounts, in the manner described above. Thus, thevolatility of the system would increase, yet the overall return toplayer percentage would remain consistent. The random determination mayinstead be made by a random number generator 113 located in the housingof the gaming device 202 and may also be the same RNG 113 used for otheraspects of game play.

One means of prize awarding incorporating a random number generator 113might be as follows:

The random number generator 113 might have say, 5000 available numbersfor selection each time a player becomes eligible for a special prize.Numbers 1 to 1000 might be allocated as a zero prize, numbers 1001 to2000 might be allocated as a first level of prize, numbers 2001 to 3000might be allocated a second level of prize and so on. Of course, thereare a wide variety of ways of randomly awarding amounts to players onthe occurrence of a triggering event, and the above example is intendedto be simply illustrative of how the invention might be put into effect.Step 512 of the process would then involve the random number generator113 selecting a number between 1 and 5000 which would then determinewhether a prize was to be awarded, and if so, the quantum of the prize.

It is envisaged that the system will greatly increase a player'sinterest in the game because if, in normal play, after the bonus featurehas been triggered, the feature game has been played resulting in thefeature game outcome associated with the lowest bonus prize, once thefeature game outcome is known, the player still has a second opportunityto win, thereby increasing the player's enjoyment and anticipation inthe feature game and feature outcome.

The system can be implemented without changing the return to playerpercentage of a gaming machine, if it is implemented on a stand alonemachine, or a gaming system, if implemented across a plurality of linkedgaming machines controlled by a central jackpot controller within ajackpot pool.

While the foregoing description has been provided by way of example ofcertain embodiments of the present invention as presently contemplated,which utilise gaming apparatus and machines, those skilled in therelevant arts will appreciate that certain embodiments of the presentinvention also may have application to internet gaming and/or haveapplication to gaming over a telecommunications network, where handsetsare used to display game outcomes and receive player inputs.

It will be understood that the invention disclosed and defined in thisspecification extends to all alternative combinations of two or more ofthe individual features mentioned or evident from the text or drawings.All of these different combinations constitute various alternativeaspects of the invention.

1. A gaming machine having a display and a user interface incommunication with a game controller, which cooperate to provide a gamein which a plurality of symbols from a symbol set are displayed on thedisplay to represent at least one game outcome that is evaluated for awinning combination and in which an award is awarded if a winningcombination results, wherein a said winning combination is a bonusfeature, the occurrence of which results in the game controllercontrolling game play of the game to provide at least a chance to win abonus prize from a set of one or more bonus prizes, the game controllerfurther controlling the gaming machine to award at least one specialprize that is different from the one or more bonus prizes, wherein awardof the special prize is dependent on a random selection process, theperformance of which is dependent on occurrence of the bonus feature. 2.The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the gaming machine does notdisplay on the display symbols to represent the random selectionprocess.
 3. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the gaming machineincludes a pay schedule that advertises each of the one or more bonusprizes but does not advertise the at least one special prize.
 4. Thegaming machine of claim 1, wherein the special prize is only awardablewhen a said bonus prize is won.
 5. The gaming machine of claim 1,wherein there are at least two said bonus prizes that are winnablefollowing occurrence of said bonus feature.
 6. The gaming machine ofclaim 5, wherein the plurality of different bonus prizes include aplurality of progressive prizes that are formed so as have differentvalues from each other.
 7. The gaming machine of claim 5, wherein theplurality of different bonus prizes include a plurality of fixed valueprizes of different values.
 8. The gaming machine of claim 6, whereinthe game controller selects each of the plurality of different bonusprizes with different average expected frequencies.
 9. The gamingmachine of claim 5, wherein the bonus feature always results in theaward of a positive value bonus prize.
 10. The gaming machine of claim5, wherein the special prize is awardable when at least one, but not allof the bonus prizes are won.
 11. The gaming machine of claim 10, whereinthe special prize is awardable when a first said bonus prize is won andnot awardable when a second said bonus prize is won, the second saidbonus prize having a higher value than the first said bonus prize. 12.The gaming machine of claim 11, wherein the special prize is awardableonly when the bonus prize of lowest value is won.
 13. The gaming machineof claim 1, wherein the special prize is awarded in addition to thebonus prize and the gaming machine displays the combined special prizeand bonus prize as a single prize and does not display separateindications of each prize.
 14. The gaming machine of claim 1, whereinwhen the special prize is awarded, it is awarded instead of the bonusprize.
 15. The gaming machine of claim 14, wherein the special prizethat is awarded instead of the bonus prize always has a value higherthan the value of that bonus prize.
 16. The gaming machine of claim 1wherein the random selection process for the special prize includesselecting the value of the special prize, so that the special prize is arandomly variable prize.
 17. A gaming machine according to claim 1 wherein the award of the special prize is dependant on the player placing anadditional bet.
 18. A gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein thereare a plurality of distinct bonus features representing differentwinning outcomes and wherein each bonus feature resulting in at least achance to win a bonus prize from a different set of one or more bonusprizes.
 19. The gaming machine of claim 18, wherein the plurality ofbonus features each result in a chance to win one of a plurality ofdifferent bonus prizes.
 20. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein onoccurrence of a bonus feature, the game controller commences play of afeature game in which representations of the feature game are displayedon the display that indicate to the player the bonus prize that is to beawarded.
 21. A gaming system including a plurality of gaming machines asclaimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of gaming machines areeligible to win the same said one or more bonus prizes when a said bonusfeature occurs on that gaming machine.
 22. The gaming system of claim21, wherein at least one of the one or more bonus prizes is aprogressive prize to which each of the plurality of gaming machinecontribute.
 23. A method of providing awards on a gaming machine thatprovides a wagering game in which a plurality of symbols from a symbolset are displayed on a display to represent play of the wagering game,the method including providing as one possible outcome of the game abonus feature; when the bonus feature occurs, providing at least achance to win a bonus prize from a set of one or more bonus prizes; andwhen the bonus feature occurs, performing a random selection process andawarding a special prize that is different from the one or more bonusprizes dependent on the random selection process.
 24. The method ofclaim 23, wherein the random selection process determines whether or notthe special prize is awarded.
 25. The method of claim 23, wherein theset of one or more bonus prizes includes a plurality of different bonusprizes and the process of providing a chance to win a bonus prizeincludes selecting which one of a plurality of bonus prizes is to bewon, the selection being controlled so that a bonus prize is always wonwhen the bonus feature occurs, the method further including advertisingin a pay schedule for the game the plurality of bonus prizes but not thespecial prize and performing the random selection process withoutdisplaying to a player symbols representing the result of the randomselection process and wherein the random selection process includes aselection of the value of the special prize so that the special prizeawarded is a randomly variable prize.
 26. The method of claim 23,further including awarding a single prize as a combination of a saidbonus prize and the special prize and displaying representations of theaward of the special prize as if the combination of a said bonus prizeand the special prize was a single prize resulting from occurrence ofthe bonus feature.
 27. The method of claim 23, further includingawarding the special prize instead of a said bonus prize and displayingrepresentations of the award of the special prize as if the specialprize was a single prize resulting from occurrence of the bonus feature.28. The method of claim 23, further including displaying a feature gamebetween occurrence of the bonus feature and the award of the specialprize, the feature game including representations that indicate a saidbonus prize that is to be awarded if a special prize is not awarded.